Merit and Altruism in Buddhism

The Bodhisattva ideal really blossomed in the Mahayana traditions but the idea of the Bodhisattva was certainly present in the earlier traditions.  Perhaps not in name but certainly in expression.  When the Buddha spoke about himself before his Enlightenment, he referred to himself as a Bodhisattva.  And, of course, the fact that he taught for 40 years after his Awakening points to his desire to awaken all beings.  But how is the ideal expressed in us? 

Two papers:
Bhikkhu Anālayo, Genesis of the Bodhisattva Ideal — https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/genesis-bodhisattva.pdf 

Bhikkhu Bodhi, “Arahants, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas” — https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/arahantsbodhisattvas.html 

Videos from Doug's Dharma:
What is a Bodhisattva? --  https://youtu.be/bs1XtNrNXpM
The Early History of the Bodhisattva Ideal -- https://youtu.be/ECI_3ytgxcQ 

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